As far as software, it is a custom image w/ Win2k, Mappoint, IE, McAfee, Contivity VPN client, and some incident management software (also lets them run plates, etc). There may be some stuff I'm not seeing, but also not sure I should say more about the configuration anyway.

Cops around here just get a laptop mounted up front. They use a 800mhz trunked network built by Motorola. The network does more than just text, but at what speeds I don't know.

Yes, iDEN is a protocal. Not many other companies other than Motorola (creators) and Nextel are interested in it. Anyways Nextel/Sprint is going to stop using iDEN, the government has expressed their want for Nextel's air space and the iDEN protocal.

ODYSSEY

Originally Posted by Tidder

Hey, as long as it's not any particular race I'm offending, I can stand to be a pedophile.

All information expressed in this post is my opinion, and should not be regarded as a statement of fact.

Just last week I had a first-hand experience seeing one of these bad boys in action. I got pulled over and the state trooper asked me to sit in the passenger seat while I got my ticket. He put my licenses in a scanner on the dash, entered just a few key strokes and out pops my ticket (in triplicate) on the printer, in the back seat. He had to cut the ticket with some scissors tucked in the visor, then highlight my infraction (on all copies) then had me sign all three copies. Honestly, he looked pretty cramped in there with the radar gun, 10" LCD display, keyboard, printer, scanner and office supplies stuffed in every nook and cranny.

I said, 'hay, i bet this really saves you time, doing your report at the end of your shift!' he was not so excited about it... and said... 'when it all works'

We use firewire to reimage the hard drives typically. As new software versions are rolled out an officer (or non-technical person) can go and reimage the hard drive in a matter of minutes.

Data911 caters to so many police departments (technology geeks) and they all have their desires. The more stuff we put on our computers the more people we satisfy (which sells systems). I am surprised to see some of these comments

Please realize that the police, and fleet deployments are very different than consumer products.